CuSbS2 thin films and solar cells produced from Cu/Sb/Cu stacks via sulfurization
Phase-pure crystalline chalcostibite (CuSbS2) thin films were prepared by depositing Cu/Sb/Cu metal stacks using a thermal evaporation method, followed by sulfurization at 400oC and 430oC for different durations. The investigation revealed the formation of a dominant orthorhombic CuSbS2 phase accomp...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Heliyon |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024035357 |
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| author | U. Chalapathi P. Uday Bhaskar Sambasivam Sangaraju Bandar Ali Al-Asbahi Si-Hyun Park |
| author_facet | U. Chalapathi P. Uday Bhaskar Sambasivam Sangaraju Bandar Ali Al-Asbahi Si-Hyun Park |
| author_sort | U. Chalapathi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Phase-pure crystalline chalcostibite (CuSbS2) thin films were prepared by depositing Cu/Sb/Cu metal stacks using a thermal evaporation method, followed by sulfurization at 400oC and 430oC for different durations. The investigation revealed the formation of a dominant orthorhombic CuSbS2 phase accompanied by a minor Sb2S3 phase in the film stacks sulfurized at 400oC for 10–60 min. Extending the reaction time to 90 min triggered a decrease in the Sb2S3 phase and the emergence of an additional famatinite (Cu3SbS4) phase alongside the dominant CuSbS2 phase. Sulfurization of the film stack at 430oC for 10 min similarly produced a Cu3SbS4 secondary phase. When sulfurization was maintained beyond 30 min at 430oC, it resulted in phase-pure CuSbS2 films, characterized by a crystalline grain size of 25.9 nm, direct bandgap of 1.41 eV, and hole mobility ranging from 0.6–1.0 cm2V−1s−1. Thin film solar cells fabricated using the CuSbS2 absorbers grown at 430oC for 30–90 min displayed exceptional device efficiency due to the formation of phase-pure and highly crystalline films. Specifically, solar cells fabricated using the CuSbS2 absorber sulfurized for 60 min demonstrated a peak device efficiency of 2.2%, featuring an open-circuit voltage of 546.6 mV, short-circuit current density of 12.8 mA/cm2, and a fill factor of 31.3%. This study provides a reference for preparing highly crystalline CuSbS2 thin films for efficient solar cells. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T13:50:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-233a3b9671fe4b3d936b0ada8c615249 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2405-8440 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T13:50:07Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Heliyon |
| spelling | doaj.art-233a3b9671fe4b3d936b0ada8c6152492024-04-04T05:04:59ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402024-03-01106e27504CuSbS2 thin films and solar cells produced from Cu/Sb/Cu stacks via sulfurizationU. Chalapathi0P. Uday Bhaskar1Sambasivam Sangaraju2Bandar Ali Al-Asbahi3Si-Hyun Park4Department of Electronic Engineering, Yeungnam University, 280 Daehak-Ro, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk 38541, South KoreaNational Institute of Solar Energy, Gwalpahari, Gurugram, Haryana, 122003, IndiaNational Water & Energy Center, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, 15551, United Arab EmiratesDepartment of Physics & Astronomy, College of Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Electronic Engineering, Yeungnam University, 280 Daehak-Ro, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk 38541, South Korea; Corresponding author.Phase-pure crystalline chalcostibite (CuSbS2) thin films were prepared by depositing Cu/Sb/Cu metal stacks using a thermal evaporation method, followed by sulfurization at 400oC and 430oC for different durations. The investigation revealed the formation of a dominant orthorhombic CuSbS2 phase accompanied by a minor Sb2S3 phase in the film stacks sulfurized at 400oC for 10–60 min. Extending the reaction time to 90 min triggered a decrease in the Sb2S3 phase and the emergence of an additional famatinite (Cu3SbS4) phase alongside the dominant CuSbS2 phase. Sulfurization of the film stack at 430oC for 10 min similarly produced a Cu3SbS4 secondary phase. When sulfurization was maintained beyond 30 min at 430oC, it resulted in phase-pure CuSbS2 films, characterized by a crystalline grain size of 25.9 nm, direct bandgap of 1.41 eV, and hole mobility ranging from 0.6–1.0 cm2V−1s−1. Thin film solar cells fabricated using the CuSbS2 absorbers grown at 430oC for 30–90 min displayed exceptional device efficiency due to the formation of phase-pure and highly crystalline films. Specifically, solar cells fabricated using the CuSbS2 absorber sulfurized for 60 min demonstrated a peak device efficiency of 2.2%, featuring an open-circuit voltage of 546.6 mV, short-circuit current density of 12.8 mA/cm2, and a fill factor of 31.3%. This study provides a reference for preparing highly crystalline CuSbS2 thin films for efficient solar cells.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024035357CuSbS2 solar cellsTwo-stage processThermal evaporationDRSRaman |
| spellingShingle | U. Chalapathi P. Uday Bhaskar Sambasivam Sangaraju Bandar Ali Al-Asbahi Si-Hyun Park CuSbS2 thin films and solar cells produced from Cu/Sb/Cu stacks via sulfurization Heliyon CuSbS2 solar cells Two-stage process Thermal evaporation DRS Raman |
| title | CuSbS2 thin films and solar cells produced from Cu/Sb/Cu stacks via sulfurization |
| title_full | CuSbS2 thin films and solar cells produced from Cu/Sb/Cu stacks via sulfurization |
| title_fullStr | CuSbS2 thin films and solar cells produced from Cu/Sb/Cu stacks via sulfurization |
| title_full_unstemmed | CuSbS2 thin films and solar cells produced from Cu/Sb/Cu stacks via sulfurization |
| title_short | CuSbS2 thin films and solar cells produced from Cu/Sb/Cu stacks via sulfurization |
| title_sort | cusbs2 thin films and solar cells produced from cu sb cu stacks via sulfurization |
| topic | CuSbS2 solar cells Two-stage process Thermal evaporation DRS Raman |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024035357 |
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